Cricket
Racing
Rugby
League
Motorsport
Football
Golf
Combat Sports
Basketball
Tennis
Other Sports
Sport Nation
Cornes: Balta contract will be Richmond's biggest regret
SEN • June 23rd, 2025 9:55 am
Just eight months after Noah Balta signed a monster seven-year deal to stay with Richmond, Kane Cornes says it is likely to be one of the club’s biggest regrets.
Since putting pen to paper, Balta has been arrested, pleaded guilty to a single count of assault occasioning actual bodily harm, appeared in court, narrowly avoided jail and been handed an 18-month community corrections order.
The sanction also included an alcohol ban and a 10pm-6am curfew for three months which has significantly impacted how often Richmond have been able to select him.
Balta did take to the field for Richmond in their 79-point annihilation at the hands of the Bulldogs at Marvel Stadium.
And Cornes could not believe what he was watching from the 25-year-old.
“There was one player yesterday at Marvel playing a different sport,” Cornes said on SEN Fireball.
“His name was Noah Balta. I'm not sure I've seen a more bizarre performance.
“Now, Sam Darcy is no easy task, and he's going to cause a lot of headaches for a lot of players for a long period of time, but I need to go back and watch the whole of the game behind the goals just to get try and wrap my head around what Noah Balta was doing.
“Never seen anything like it. His lack of knowledge on how to play on someone, when to press, when not to press, what he did with football in hand.
“I said a couple of weeks ago, I just think you put him on ice, because he seems to be a player that needs the continuity of playing and being in for one out for one, curfew. Am I traveling? Am I not? What am I doing at home? My training.
“It's really affected his form, and I couldn't believe what I was watching yesterday.
“I would have to assume that seven-year deal is one of the biggest regrets that Richmond would be facing right now.”
Darcy was crucial to the Bulldogs running riot against the tigers, booting five from 19 disposals and eight marks.
Admitting Balta didn’t rise to the occasion, Richmond coach Adem Yze said: “There were a few decision errors behind the ball that gave him way too many easy opportunities and then obviously if you give a guy like Sam, who’s a talented kid and in great form, those opportunities, then it’s going to be really hard to defend.
“To play against these players, he (Balta) has got to get better at it and he’ll know that he didn’t play to his standard today.
“If there’s pressure on the ball, well, our defenders will look good. If there isn’t...good luck defending them.”
